Luxor

So it’s my great news to tell you that I’ve now arrived at Luxor; all right, 2 days ago…  my first impression  whilst riding down the Neil Nile from Qina was: “Wow! Egypt has greenery!!”. However, going for a leisurely walk later, after pitching up at our campsite, and being harassed by every Egyptian we crossed paths with my growing hatred of Egypt near on critical, I decided I no longer wanted to see anything else here. So yesterday, I spent the day hiding in our campsite.

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Here’s some photos of our ride to Luxor from Hurghada:

So anyhow, after a sleep on it and comforting myself with the notion: “I’ll never have to come back here again”, I thought it only fair that I visited the Valley of the Kings with Craig. Sure enough, we didn’t get far at all before we were accosted by Egyptians following us.  We ended up using them.

So we got there just after 8:30 this morning, it was by this time already very hot. It was quite amazing to think about whilst driving up there and then the little walk up to the tombs that someone was daft enough to be looking for these things, when the rolling barren landscape looks all the same. Nuts! It’s more crazy to think about people crafting these amazing tunnels perfectly formed, beautifully decorated if the heat was anything like what it was today… and we’re not even in summer here.

The ticket we had only allowed us to see 3 of the tombs,  we went to see Thutmes IV, which was perfectly crafted, tunnels perfectly straight, floors perfectly level… then we ambled up the impossibly steep steps to see Thutmes III the queue was long, the temperature there was almost unbearable, and that was before we descended inside, once inside, the temperature must have gone up by about 10 degrees, I’m not sure if it was the heat, but I wasn’t all that impressed, the Thutmes IV was more advanced, but then that’s obvious isn’t it? (Roman numeral and all) 😛 Lastly, we went to see Tausert & Setnakht which in my opinion was the best, the wall decorations began immediately, vibrant with colour and the vaulted ceilings really gave a sense of atmosphere with all the colour, if also felt much larger. Sadly we weren’t allowed to use our cameras so the only shots I took were on the sly.

Quick description:

1. Luxor Temple, we didn’t go inside but passed it on our way to the ferry this morning,
2. Thutmes IV – luckily empty,
3. Thutmes III after coming out, just look at us, we’re completely drenched,
4. Not sure which tomb this one was, could be inside any of them they all were decorated the same like this on entry,
5. Tausert & Setnakht, see, colour!!
6. oh did i mention we have kittens on the campsite??